Reprint-PN25001AmandaNummy | Plastics News

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September 16, 2024

Amanda Nummy, 35

Senior Polymer Materials Engineer,
Hyundai-Kia

Amanda Nummy became interested in the plastics industry because she was — and continues to be — inspired by “the versatility of applications and innovations made possible by plastics, how creating with them was both an art and a science, the responsibility that came with developing and selecting the best materials to meet multiple objectives of a design, and the idea of having a tangible impact in people’s lives.”

Nummy earned her bachelor’s degree in polymer, textile and fiber engineering with a concentration in management from the Georgia Institute of Technology; master’s degree in materials science and engineering and certificate in nanotechnology from Wayne State University in Detroit; and master’s degree and certificate in biomimicry from Arizona State University.

Her first industry role was an internship at a specialty carpet dyeing and finishing plant. She is now a senior polymer materials engineer at the Hyundai-Kia Technical Center in Ann Arbor, Mich.

“I led the development of a new test method for material-level evaluation of battery enclosures under representative real-world thermal runaway conditions, which was published as a UL standard in 2022 and is now being used by automakers and suppliers around the world to accelerate development of materials and designs, most notably enabling polymeric solutions. The test method has already demonstrated facilitation of quantitative improvement in battery materials, and it has been enthusiastically received by the industry, increasing design opportunities for safe, affordable, longer-range and more sustainable vehicles,” Nummy said of her biggest career achievement.

Nummy participates in Society of Plastics Engineers’ conferences and events, including giving technical presentations and keynote speeches and session moderating. She has presented at and participated in panel discussions for other plastics industry events, such as the Composites and Advanced Materials Expo, Plastic Waste Free World North America Conference, Recycled Materials Association’s convention and Oak Ridge National Lab’s Manufacturing Renew3d. “Specific to my work in automotive plastics, I have also consistently participated as a speaker and author at the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress. I also serve on event committees relevant to the plastics industry, including the SAE Sustainable Development Program, SAE Nature Inspired Technology and Applications committee, and SPE ACCE executive committee,” she said.

Nummy has worked as a biomimicry consultant for several companies within the last few years, and she recently incorporated her own business for biotech innovation consulting. “When I founded it, I set out a sustainability vision that encompassed not only what we do, but how we do it, making sustainable products through sustainable work processes, in environmentally friendly spaces. I push back on outdated conventions of ‘minimizing harm’ and rebuild the framework with the mindset of creating positive impacts,” she said. “I define sustainability to include not just survival and persistence, but to envision a world where it is safe, comfortable and enjoyable to live.”